Double Integrals

In calculus of a single variable the definite integral

for f(x)>=0 is the area under the curve f(x) from x=a to x=b. For general f(x) the definite integral is equal to the area above the x-axis minus the area below the x-axis. he definite integral can be extended to functions of more than one variable. !onsider a function of " variables #=f(x$%). he definite integral is denoted b%

where & is the region of integration in the x%-'lane. For 'ositive f(x$%)$ the definite integral is equal to the volume under the surface #=f(x$%) and above x%-'lane for x and % in the region &. his is shown in the figure below.

(''lications )ouble integrals arise in a number of areas of science and engineering$ including com'utations of (rea of a ") region *olume +ass of ") 'lates Force on a ") 'late (verage of a function !enter of +ass and +oment of Inertia ,urface (rea

,u''ose we subdivide the region & into subrectangles as in the figure (sa% there are + rectangles in the x direction and - rectangles in the % direction hin. of the definite integral as re'resenting volume. he volume under the surface above an% rectangle is a''roximatel% f(x$%) ( where ( is area of the rectangle and f(x$%) is the a''roximate height of the surface in the rectangle. /ere (x$%) is some 'oint in the rectangle &. If we sum over all rectangles we have

In the limit as the si#e of the rectangles goes to 0$ the sum on the right converges to a value which is the definite integral. he quantit% f(x$%)d( in the definite integral re'resents the volume in some infinitesimal region around the 'oint (x$%). he region is so small that the f(x$%) onl% varies infinitesimall% in the region. he double integral sign sa%s0 add u' volumes in all the small regions in &. )ouble Integrals over a &ectangular &egion ,u''ose that f(x$%) is continuous on a rectangular region in the x% 'lane as shown above. he double integral

re'resents the volume under the surface. 1e can com'ute the volume b% slicing the three-dimensional region li.e a loaf of bread. ,u''ose the slices are 'arallel to the %-axis. (n exam'le of slice between x and x2dx is shown in the figure.

In the limit of infinitesimal thic.ness dx$ the volume of the slice is the 'roduct of the cross-sectional area and the thic.ness dx. he cross sectional area is the area under the curve f(x$%) for fixed x and % var%ing between c and d. (-ote that if the thic.ness dx is infinitesimal$ x varies onl% infinitesimall% on the slice. 1e can assume that x is constant.) he 'icture below shows the cross-sectional area.

he area is given b% the integral

he variable of integation is % and x is a !3-, (- . he crosssectional area de'ends on x and this is wh% we write !=!(x). he volume of the slice between x and x2dx is !(x)dx. he total volume is the sum of the volumes of all the slices between x=a and x=b0

If substitute for !(x)$ we obtain0

his is an exam'le of an iterated integral. 3ne integrates with res'ect to % first$ then x. he integrals with res'ect to % and x are called the inner and outer integrals$ res'ectivel%. (lternativel%$ one can ma.e slices that are 'arallel to the x-axis. In this case the volume is given b%

he inner integral corres'onds to the cross-sectional area of a slice between % and %2d%. he quantities f(x$%)d%dx and f(x$%)dxd% re'resent the value of the double integral in the infinitesimal rectangle between x and x2dx and % and %2d%. he length and width of the rectangle are dx and d%$ res'ectivel%. /ence d%dx (or dxd%) is the area of the rectangle. 1e can ma.e the connection d(=d%dx (or d(=dxd%). 4xam'le !onsider the double integral0

where & is the rectangle 05x56$ 65%5". ,u''ose we integrate with res'ect to % first. hen

he inner integral is

-ote that we treat x as a constant as we integrate with res'ect to %. he integral is equal to

1e are now left with the integral

(lternativel%$ we can integrate with res'ect to x first and then %. 1e have

he inner integral is

-ote that we treat % as a constant as we integrate with res'ect to x. he outer integral is

he two a''roaches %ield the same answer. In a''lications$ integrals li.e the one above arise in com'utations of (rea0 if f(x$%)=6$ then the double integrals gives the area of region &. *olume0 the integral is equal to volume under the surface #=f(x$%) above the region &.

+ass0 if & is a 'late and f(x$%) is densit% 'er unit area of the 'late$ then the integral is equal to the mass of the 'late. Force0 if f(x$%) is the force 'er unit area on the 'late in the downward direction$ then integral is the total force on the 'late. (verage0 the integral divided b% the area of the region & is the the average of the function f(x$%) on &.